GUEST BIO

Worship Leader Jared Anderson Rescues Haitian Orphans

By
The 700 Club

HEART FOR HAITI
Jared and Megan have been married for nine years. “I always wanted a large family,” says Megan. With four children, they were on their way to fulfilling their dream of a house full of children. In 2009, Jared and Megan moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Their neighbors had been going on missions trips to Haiti and in January 2010, the tragic earthquake hit. Jared and Megan prayed for their neighbor and watched them bring home not one but two beautiful little girls from Haiti. Jared and his family went to the airport to welcome them home. “I thought, When we are done having our own, we gotta do this.” They watched as the girls had their many firsts. “We had our hearts pricked in a way that would change us forever,” says Megan.

In 2010, the family moved back to Colorado. In 2011, Jared and Megan experienced two miscarriages. During the summer, Jared and Megan attended the Desperation Conference at their church. The speaker asked everyone to pray and ask God to put a dream in their heart. The Anderson children lined up in the back row of the church. After the prayer, Everett looked at his mom and said, “Mom, we are supposed to adopt some kids from Haiti.” Megan’s heart leapt when she heard this but wasn’t sure how it would all unfold. Jared told her they would plan a trip to the orphanage in Haiti. “We will know when we get there,” he said.

In January 2012, Jared and Megan went to Haiti. “The need is so great,” he says. They went with the idea they wanted 2 children younger than their youngest child. They desired a boy and a girl under the age of two. They were open to whatever the Lord had for them. When they arrived at the orphange on their first trip Megan says, "I remember clearly saying there is no way we can pick one of these kids.” So she didn’t attach herself to a specific child. On the last night, they went into the second room (they spent most of their time in another room of children) and fell in love with John Diego. “But he had toys hanging on his crib and thought he was already taken,” Jared says. Megan encouraged Jared to check the list of available children. His was the only handwritten name on the bottom of a type-written list. John Diego was available! They were told that getting a girl under the age of 2 could be a wait of up to a year.

After many ups and downs, Jared and Megan have been trusting God to bring John Diego home. They almost had the opportunity to adopt John Diego’s cousin, but the biological father came back to get him. In March, Megan visited Haiti to celebrate John Diego’s second birthday. Recently, Jared and Megan got a call from the orphanage saying they had a little girl named Christine and she was available. Now the Andersons spend their time visiting the children until the adoptions are final which should be before next Christmas. “We know we’re supposed to be doing this,” says Jared. “We are not guaranteed that it’s gonna go well, but we would not have a peace if we were not supposed to be in this process.” The Andersons are awaiting approval as their paperwork is reviewed by the government.

DESPERATION
Jared grew up playing piano in church. He went to ORU and moved back home. He started helping at his home church, New Life Church, and about that time, the church launched their Desperation Conference. The band evolved from that and he is known for such modern worship favorites as “Rescue,” and “Amazed.” For more information, please visit www.jaredanderson.com